Ndaba Mandela talks about grandfather, Nelson Mandela, and carrying on his legacy ahead of NSU visit

Ndaba Mandela, grandson of the late South African civil rights leader Nelson Mandela, will visit Norfolk State University on Wednesday to kick off the university’s Black History Month commemoration.

Ndaba Mandela is the co-founder and chair of the Mandela Institute for Humanity and the Africa Rising Foundation, which works to promote positive images of Africa. His grandfather was a South African civil rights lawyer and vocal opponent of the country’s racially segregated apartheid system; he was imprisoned for close to 30 years before being released in 1990. In 1994, Nelson Mandela became the first democratically elected Black president of South Africa. He died in 2013.

Ndaba Mandela is building on the legacy his grandfather left – one in which people knew their rights and fought for them – while taking on his own mission. Mandela will speak at the L. Douglas Wilder Performing Arts Center at 5 p.m. The event is free.

Mandela recently answered questions from The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press about his goals in speaking in the U.S. and what it was like to grow up with his iconic grandfather. His responses are edited for length.

Your discussion topic is “positive relationships between African and African Americans” and you’ve spoken publicly about the misconceptions you feel people have about Africa. What do you want people to know? Was this a concern your grandfather shared?

People still have misconceptions. I was going through an Instagram feed about (rapper) Meek Mill … He said he had a big show that day and he wanted to know what digital platforms people use in Africa. It’s so silly because we are listening to the very same platforms you are here in America, whether it be Apple Music, Spotify, etc. … Some still think we’re living in huts or lack buildings and development. While people must understand much of Africa is still developing, a country like South Africa is very developed. My grandfather did not have this concern. His concern was having young people focus on the right places: being aware of their rights, voting and taking leadership positions. That is what my grandfather was worried about more than perceptions or misconceptions.

Norfolk State University is one of the last stops on your 2024 winter college tour before you head back to Johannesburg, South Africa. What have you learned during this tour?

What I’ve learned about young people during my travels in America is that they are driven to give back to their communities. Sometimes, they just need a bit of guidance, but they want to be the change they want to see in the community. They are hungry to get involved and I’ve been surprised by the great reception from them. Young people always want to take pictures and have me sign their books and they seem very happy. The message I’m pushing about activating youth leadership, teaching them about leadership, and that we all have the ability to be leaders within us, is resonating with the youth.

I’m happy young people care about their communities, and I want young people to know it is important to vote. Many people have died and sacrificed a lot for us to be able to vote, and not just for the president but for the mayors, councilors, etc.

What was it like growing up with your grandfather? What do you wish more people knew about him?

I think most people believe growing up with a grandfather you get spoiled, but I wasn’t. I was disciplined because I was the first grandson to move in with my grandfather. He made me clean my room, showed me how to fold my pants and was very strict. He was a strict father but was very fair at the same time. I remember he even paid for our trip to go to Disney World for the first time with my cousin, brothers and me. That was a fun trip, even if I may have said one or two things that caused a fight with my brothers.

The man was a great man. I want people to know he had a great sense of humor. He loved to dance and enjoyed African music, including Miriam Makeba, who was one of his favorite musicians of all time. He loved his people. There was a reason my grandfather never wore a suit and always wore those colorful shirts. He wanted to wear something that represented his people: the colorful people in the rainbow nation of South Africa. He loved his family, and he really believed in the youth. He believed in them to the point he tried to reduce the voting age in South Africa to 14. I want people to know he had a soft side and loved to laugh. More than anything, though, he believed in young people because they are the leaders of today.

Kelsey Kendall, kelsey.kendall@virginiamedia.com